Guessing Game
by k4gh
Summary: AU. Two assistants with massive denial problems competing for office supremacy. Add a playful boss, a lovesick friend and another friend who only seems to care about money. What do you get? Chaos in and out of the office. [NXMXTXR]
1. Mixed Up

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gakuen Alice

**Guessing Game**

**Chapter 01: **Mixed Up

-----

_You have been chosen for the interview. Please report to the Evergreen office this Wednesday at exactly 10 o'clock in the morning for further instructions concerning the matter. Thank you._

_Sincerely Yours,_

_Ned Keller_

_Evergreen Business Director_

Mikan almost spit out her $5 mocha latte as her sparkling hazelnut eyes examined the piece of parchment for the second time. There was no doubt about it. Her eyes weren't playing a trick on her! She was chosen! Out of the almost thousands of people who applied, she was the one who was chosen! Mikan gripped on her armrest tighter grinning to herself like a madman in silent celebration. It surprised her. That out of all the applicants, she was chosen. As far as she knew she was the youngest and most inexperienced person who had applied for the spot.

Sakura Mikan, was a 19 year-old jack of all trades master of none. She had long brown hair that was tied into one single pony tail and sparkling hazelnut eyes. She had been single for most of her life and her grades weren't exactly what you'd call amazing. And, Mikan was fresh from college having graduated just two months ago. She initially thought she would have had trouble in applying for a job. But now that she has already been accepted for an interview, there was almost 0 chance of her being turned down. She was that confident.

Slamming a few bills on the table she stood up and slipped into her coat, stuffing the interview letter in one of its pockets. Reaching back down, she retrieved her half-empty cup of coffee, a doggie bag with a piece of bagel sticking out with her other hand and proceeded to walk out the door.

The fall afternoon breeze was nice and cool. The now orange leaves from the once green trees were messily scattered on the ground while the others enjoyed aerial travel. Mikan smiled to her self as she kicked the fallen leaves around, stopping once to throw away her empty coffee cup in a nearby trash bin.

It was amazing that her 'after-college' life had turned out so… so like this. She had expected that a student like her would get a hard time trying to get a job. After all getting grades sometimes lower than 80 wasn't exactly what you'd call impressive. She believed a person like her had no place in such a big company. It amazed her how much 'luck' had affected her 'after-college' life (or just life). But then maybe it wasn't luck. Maybe.

"Ah well," She whispered to herself happily as she quickened her pace. "Wait till Hotaru hears about this!"

-----

A middle aged old man walked through the crammed hallway, stopping to deposit his hundred dollar coat on one of his assistant's desk. With a few mumbled coherent words and a snap of his fingers, the old man disappeared behind his office's glass doors. The assistant blinked a few times before standing up, snatching two file folders from his desk drawer and running briskly after his boss.

-----

"Hello?" Mikan's voice echoed through her apartment's empty hallway. Slipping off her green coat, she dumped it onto the nearby chair and called out again, "Hotaru-chan! I'm hoommeee!!" She announced happily, looking around.

Violet eyes snapped open as the owner gave a small quiet yawn. So Mikan was finally home. She was the only person capable of making that much of a noise to wake her up after all. Hotaru blinked as she sat up averting her bored gaze to her friend's excited face.

They stared at each other in silence for a while before Mikan excitedly spoke up.

"They called me for an interview!"

Hotaru let a small smile creep to her lips. Mikan actually managed to do something by herself this time. She gave her best friend a pat on the head.

"You're finally bringing in money into this household."

-----

The old man raised a questioning brow at his assistant who flinched. The assistant swallowed, feeling the familiar sensation in the pit of his stomach that what was going to happen was something that he would not pay to remember for the rest of his life.

"Keller…"

"Y-yes sir?" Keller stammered, unable to control his fear. He squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the worst. It seemed like eternity had passed before his boss spoke again.

"This is good…"

Keller almost fell from his position, "S-sir?" He stammered again, wondering what the hell his boss had eaten this morning for him to actually praise him.

"I said this is good Keller," He repeated glaring at his underling. He did not enjoy repeating himself. "You chose well,"

Keller gave him a small smile. He felt like dancing. This was the first official praise he had gotten from his boss since he stepped into this office five years ago! Finally his efforts were being appreciated. Finally his boss thought of him as somebody who is _good_. Finally! Finally—

"Only one thing Keller…" His boss' cold, angry tone of voice came cutting right through his mental celebration like a saw. Having intensified his glare, he threw the two file folders carelessly back to his desk, "Why in the seven hells did you choose two applicants?"

Keller felt like jumping off a building.

-----

Crimson-eyes widened slightly as a small brown envelope was dropped on his desk table. Eyes narrowing, he picked up the envelope, throwing one glare at the person looming before him with that stupid smile plastered on his face, he studied its contents.

He frowned.

"What the hell is this Kokoroyomi?" He growled.

The person known as Kokoroyomi just shrugged and smiled, "It's a direct order from your father. You, Natsume, are to find a job. And…" He snatched the brown envelope from his short-tempered master. "I took the liberty of signing you up for one."

Natsume glared at Kokoroyomi, hoping the meddling pig would somehow disappear if he glared hard enough.

Sensing Natsume's deadly aura, his smile remained unchanged on his face (it had actually grown wider) as he spoke again, "Tomorrow, you'll show up at the Evergreen Company's lobby for your job interview,"

-----

"I am only asking you this one more time Keller," The boss' strong voice boomed out of his voice box.

"Why in the seven hells did you choose two applicants?"

Keller panicked and racked his brain for something, anything to say. And alas, he found none.

-----

Somewhere else in the same building, a guy in a blue shirt fell back into his chair, wiping a few beads of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. He raised an eyebrow when he saw his office mate's head poking from behind the divider.

"Finished with your work?" She asked.

The man in blue gave her a two-fingered salute, "Delivered the letters,"

"Letters? Didn't Ned tell you to deliver the letter in the blue envelope only?"

The man shrugged and scratched the back of his neck, "Oops,"

----

"I got the job Hotaru!" Mikan squealed in delight, lunging at her best friend for a hug. Hotaru, who sensed what was coming, moved an inch away from Mikan's landing space. Mikan's face hit the sofa's base. "Hotaru!! Can't you just let me give you one hug? I mean! I got into a company!"

Hotaru shrugged.

"Awwww fine!" Mikan exclaimed in frustration as she crossed her arms. "And I thought you'd be at least happy I'd finally have gotten a job… interview. I guess I thought wrong…" She finished flatly and proceeded to bury her face into the throw pillow next to her.

Hotaru rolled her eyes.

"I am happy for you,"

Almost immediately (like Hotaru had predicted) Mikan's head rose from the pillow and had inched closer to her friend, her eyes sparkling like mad. "Really???"

Hotaru paid no heed to her best friends over excited self. Instead she turned away and asked, "Which company is it anyway?"

"Evergreen!" Mikan answered proudly.

Hotaru's eyes twinkled in return as she smirked.

"Finally, some decent sum of money."

-----

"So you're saying my father friggin' ordered you to order me to get a job?" Natsume gritted out every word as calmly as possible. He didn't want to pummel the hell out of Kokoroyomi just yet he needed more information. He needed the money after all. His stupid father cut half of his monthly allowance. But then it would probably be a stupid boring office job and that would suck like hell. So no. He still had his other half after all.

"Yep," Kokoroyomi answered casually.

"I ain't going,"

"You have no choice. If you don't go, your father would stop giving you your allowance all together,"

Natsume cursed under his breath.

"Damn it."

-----

"We're going to have two people coming here tomorrow thinking they're most likely going to be employed." Keller's boss spoke in a gruff voice, obviously irritated. "And what kind of situation do you foresee Mr. Keller?"

Keller gulped, "A troublesome situation?"

**End.**

**A/N: **Gasp! My first attempt on a GA AU fic! Like it? Hate it? I need suggestions and comments (in the form of a review of course!) :P

Next is Natsume and Mikan's first meeting! Till the next!


	2. Meeting

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gakuen Alice.

**Guessing Game  
**

**Chapter 02: **First Meeting

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Mikan was lucky. It always seemed that lady luck was on her side; things never did go wrong when it came to her and her affairs.

But…

…when something unexpected happens to ruin that cycle of good fortune. Mikan knows something bad is bound to happen.

**  
Unexpected Happening #1:**

__

Hotaru made me breakfast, walked me to the door AND saw me off with a smile. 

_  
You know that creepy smile that makes you doubt if they're sane at all? Not to mention that weird glint I saw in her eyes that time I mentioned how much money I would get from my job. _

_  
Hotaru doesn't do breakfast and smiles. Her coldness is what makes her… her! Ergo, I have concluded that something bad or weird (but mostly bad) is about to happen. _

****

Unexpected Happening #2:

_  
Sumire, the apartment complex bully, didn't scream at my face today. She even said Hi… with a smile. Yes, a smile._

_  
She doesn't say hi! More importantly she doesn't smile at ME! She screams at me and demands for me to disappear from her sight! _

_  
Then again, I guess having her greet me instead of having her screaming into my face so early in the morning was a nice change. Hmm. I never did find out why she was that mean to me. But hey, that's not our topic right now. _

Mikan shuddered as she reviewed the latest happenings that had taken place that morning. Maybe it was some bad omen that's telling her not to show up for the interview. Maybe something bad will happen. Like the building collapsing… or… like some stray stack of papers catching fire and setting fire to the whole place…or…or… Mikan gulped as she grasped the familiar handle of the door to her favorite coffee shop. Maybe coffee would calm her down. Coffee always did calm her down.

Oh how wrong she was on that.

-------

Natsume growled in annoyance as he sluggishly made his way down the side walk. First, he was **forced** to show up for a stupid job interview. Second, he was **forced** to wake up at friggin' 7 a.m. to get ready for said stupid interview. And now, he was again **forced **to get coffee for his friggin' father. Since when was he an errand boy? Just because his father's usual errand boy was sick didn't mean they could get him to do it. Just because his father needed his daily dose of caffeine didn't mean they could get him to do the work. But hell they had to tell his father and involve his money! And Natsume loved his money.

Anyway, that basically meant he had to waste his energy to walk from the coffee shop and back to his house in order to deliver the stupid cup full of brown liquid that looked like friggin' shit to his friggin' blackmailing father. Friggin' hell! He was using "friggin'" a lot today. And that was a sure sign that he was pissed. Very very pissed. Nothing could possibly ruin his day more. If there was, they or it, could just burn in hell.

Natsume entered the coffee shop from its west entrance, the closest exit/entrance to the side he was walking from. He didn't need to tire himself that much for something like this. Now, what kind of coffee did that father of his want again?

Natsume narrowed his eyes as he stepped forward to get a closer look at the menu. At least, he had wanted to.

He cursed as he was suddenly jerked backwards by something or rather _someone_ bumping into him. When he regained footing, he was treated to a perfect view of _someone's _rather childish polka-dot printed panties.

--------

Mikan gave out a panicked yelp as she fell to the ground. Sitting up a little, she massaged her aching backside and looked up at the person looming over her. Mikan blinked. This must be the person she bumped into! And, being the polite and well-mannered girl she was gave him a small smile and opened her mouth to apologize.

"About bumping into you, I'm so—"

"Hey,"

"Yes?" Mikan asked, still not bothering to get up from her position in the floor.

The boy smirked. "Nice panties,"

At the boy's words, Mikan turned beet red and suddenly shot up. W-when did he? How did he? Mikan felt her face heat up. Screw being polite and well-mannered! This was personal! Nobody takes a peek at her panties and gets away with it!

"Y-you pervert!" She screamed at the top of her voice, causing the other customers in the café to notice their little squabble. Good thing it was a little early in the morning, so there were only a small number of people present.

The boy who still seemed unfazed, just stared at her flatly.

Pointing an accusing finger at the unknown person, Mikan continued, "First you bump into me and didn't even have the friggin' gut to help me up and then you peek at my underwear?! You…you despicable excuse for a human being!"

"Hey now Polka-dots," He interrupted. "I didn't bump into you, you bumped into me,"

"My name is not polka-dots! And that's beside the point! You saw my underwear!"

"And it was a view I'd never pay to see again,"

"Why you!" Mikan screeched as she made a move to tackle the perverted boy only to be stopped by one of the café's personnel.

Mikan backed a way a little due to the employee's stepping in between them. The employee each gave them a look before speaking.

"Excuse me. I'd like to ask both of you, in behalf all the costumers here, to please take this outside,"

Mikan bit her lip. Oh great, she had forgotten that they were inside a café. She tends to loose herself whenever she gets pissed. Mikan quickly forced a bow and mumbled an apology, not noticing her perverted enemy slinking through the east exit.

--------

"Stupid pervert!" Mikan gritted out as she stomped her way into the Evergreen company's lobby. "He acts so rudely and then leaves me to clear that mess off for myself!"

Step. Step.

Why in the morning? Why did she have to meet a pervert like him so early in the morning?

Step. Step.

Now her mood is ruined! Frickin' ruined!

Step. Step.

Damn it!

Slam!

"Um… miss?"

Still too pissed of to register anything that was happening around her, Mikan continued, "That jerk! If I ever see him again I'll... I'll…Aaaahhh!!!" She screamed at the top of her voice. This was driving her mad! Nobody ever irritated her like this! Not even Sumire! He was going to pay…

"Excuse me…"

"I hate him! I hate him… so much!!!!"

After one last irritated shriek, Mikan finally quieted down. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath.

"Miss…?"

At the sound of another voice, Mikan's eyes snapped open. "Eh? Where am I?" She looked around. She was in a circular room full of people. People that were all staring at her in mild confusion. "Umm…"

"Um, well you see Miss…" An old man, who was probably one of the employees, started.

"Sakura," Mikan supplied.

"Miss Sakura, in your erm.. fit of rage, you seem to have lost sight of your surroundings and had accidentally walked into our company meeting," The employee cleared his throat as he noted Mikan's terrified and embarrassed expression, "Oh don't worry it's no problem at all. Now may I ask what your business here is?"

Mikan gulped. "Ah, the interview room. I was told to show up here for an interview,"

The employee nodded and smiled at her, "Ah, so you're the new employee," He walked to the door and motioned for Mikan to follow, "I'll show you there,"

"Ah… thank you!" Mikan exclaimed, running to the nice man's side.

The nice man turned to look at their audience, "Back to work people, we'll continue with the meeting momentarily,"

The others nodded, just as the closed with a small click.

Mikan swallowed. _Of all the luck! My (technically) first day at work and I cause such a big mess! It's all that stupid pervert's fault for incurring my wrath so early in the morning! I promise if I ever see that guy again I'll break his neck! And if I can't do that… I'll just resort to more easier things that will still cause him pain! I hate you perverttttt!!!_

"We're here,"

The nice man's gentle voice woke Mikan up from her homicidal planning. Blinking twice, she planted a grateful smile on her face as she thanked the old man.

The old man smiled, "You're welcome. If there's anything else you need, you can ask it from the person there waiting inside," He gave Mikan one last wave as he turned  
around, "I will be leaving now,"

"Yes, thank you for everything!" Mikan called after him. She smiled. He was such a nice man! Now If only all men were like that, there'd be more peace in the world. She thought to herself as she pushed the door open. Stepping inside, she caught sight of another employee, looking quiet younger than the old man she met before. Looking closely she caught sight of another young man who comfortably had his eyes closed sitting in front of him.

_  
Strange…the other guy looked somewhat familiar…_

"Um excuse me, I was asked to come here for an interview and…" Mikan started softly.

"Ah you must be Miss Sakura, we've been expecting you," The mysterious man motioned for her to sit beside the other unknown person. As she took her seat, the man looked up to her and smiled, "Welcome to Evergreen Ms. Sakura, I am Andou Tsubasa, in charge of new employees,"

"Eh, uhm, nice to meet you sir," Mikan let a small smile creep to her face as she looked at the strange person next to her through the corner of her eyes.

_  
I swear I've seen him somewhere…_Mikan thought to herself.

"So then, before we start why don't you two introduce yourselves to each other?" Tsubasa offered, his freaky smile still plastered on his face.

"Um sure," Mikan mumbled as she stood up from her chair. She faced the strange guy, who was still comfortably seated in his chair as if he had heard nothing. Mikan raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me..."

The strange man stirred and his eyes slowly fluttered open as he slowly turned to Mikan's direction.

Hazelnut met crimson red.

Mikan felt a weird stir in her stomach as she felt heat rise up to her cheeks. Her shaking hands slowly made their way up until they were in level with her shoulders as she pointed at the man accusingly.

"YOU!"

Crimson-eyes stared at her flatly. Scrutinizing the seemingly pissed off girl, a smirk made its way to his lips. "Ah well… if it isn't polka-dots,"

****

A/N: Chapter 2 is done! I hope it wasn't as confusing and as suckish as the first one! Heh. Hey, I try. :P

Well, if ever, reviews are appreciated! (:


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